Electric-resistance thermometer.



F. JOHANNSMEYER. ELECTRIC RESISTANCE THERMOMETER.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 16; 1912.

Patented July 18, 1916.

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CICI I w 2 Lmlbwcl WW-M an 927 L UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDRICK J'OHA NNSMETER, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR 'IOIJARL C.

' THOMAS, O F MADISON, WISCONSIN.

- ELECTRIC-RESISTANCE THERMOMETER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDRIGK JoHiANNs- I MEYER, a citizenof the United States, re-- ,ed new and useful Improvements in Electrio-Resistance Thermometers, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part'of this specification.

My invention relates to electric resistance thermometers. I e

A meter has been developed for measuring the flow of steam, air and gases, in which two electric thermometers are arranged in a circuit, one on each side of a heater, to measure the difference in temperature ofthe gas,

before and afterit passes the heater. My

resistance thermometer .is an improvement over prior. thermometers of this kind and is although not limited. to such use.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved electricresistance ther- A mometer which will offer a'min1mum'res1st I 1 4, sultably secured thereto, as for example,

ance to the flow of fluid being measured.

Another object is to provide an improved resistance thermometer in which the resistance Wire will be uniformly distributed over the area inclosed by the frame and will be thoroughly insulated from said frame."

Another object is to provide an improved resistance thermometer in which the resistance wire is supported with a minimum amount of wire in contact with the supporting means. 1

Dther objects and advantages of the in-. vention will hereinafter appear. i

In accomplishing these objects a resistance thermometer is .provided in which the resistance element or wire has a comparatively high resistance and small mass and 1s capable of resisting the action of gases, the supportlng structure for said wire being of mlnlmum mass and the wire being mounted thereon in such a manner that only short Figure 1 is a plan View of a unit embody- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 18, 1915.

Application filedAugust 16.1912. eria1 No. 715,431.

' ing the invention, the central portion of the resistance wire and supporting means there' for being omitted in order to show the terminals and reinforcing bar. Fig. 2 is a per- "spective view of a section of the supporting frame for the wire. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a modified construction of a supporting frame.

The resistance thermometer is preferably I arranged in the form of a screen or grid of circular outline adapted to fit within a conduitor pipe and having aresistance wire so disposed as to be affected by substantially all parts of the flowing current of "gas. I The support 1, which is preferably circular, consists of a frame having an angle section, one flange of the angle section forming a convenient mounting for the supports 2 and the other flange acting as a reinforcementand also as a bolting flange for supporting the frame in the conduit.

'The supports 2 which are preferably of metal are secured to and suitably insulated fromjhe-supporting frame, as shown at 3. The supports are arranged in pairs, each pair carrying preferably two rods or studs by nuts 5. A plurality of metallic supports or punchings 6 are strung along the rods 4.

These punchings are provided preferably with fourv projecting arms, each of which carries an insulating tin 7 of conical outline, said insulators being made preferably of glass sealed to'said arms by a suitable binding material. The punchings are separated by suitable spacers Sand are secured by nuts 9, which, being'independent of the nuts 5, enable each element to be made up before being fastened to the main frame. Said main frame when completed is strong, light and presents a very small projected area to the flowing stream of gas. I

The'resistance wire 10 is wound about the support in a manner clearly shown in Fig. 2, the individual turns of the wire being in parallel planes except where the wire crosses from one punching to the next. Said wire is preferably secured in place by sealing it in th small. groove or slot 7 in the end of each insulator, the sealing being readily accom plished by dipping the support in some coatingmaterial, for example, bakelite.

The resistance wire carried by each support is. connected at opposite ends thereof to the wire of a neighboring support so that the effect of the thermometer as a whole is that of one continuous resistance wire. Suitable terminals are provided for the ends of the resistance wire on each support,-said ends being soldered to a heavier wire 11 which is wound around the insulators on the last punching. The heavier wire 11 serves toelectrically connect the wires of adjacent supports and is also used as a means forconnecting the ends of the resistance to the ter- I minals 12 and 13.

The terminal 12 is connected by a conductor rod 11 to a binding post 15 located adjacent the other terminal 13. In this manner the two terminals of the device are brought together so that the connection 0 the same is facilitated.

In certain large thermometers I find it desirable to provide some means for preventing distortion or vibration of the supports. In Figs. 1 and 2 I have illustrated a. transversely extending rod 16 which is supported at its ends in suitable openings in the ring 1, and carries a plurality of vertical bracing members 17: These members 17 are preferably insulated from the rod 16 by means of suitable insulation 18. These members are each preferably formed of two pieces of metal secured together on opposite sides of the rod 16, as, for instance, by' a screw 19, on one side and an extension 20 on the other sideformed on one of-the members and protruded through an opening in the other member and then bent over thereon to lock the same in position. As illustrated, each of the membersl'l' is provided with perforations adapted to receive therods 4.

The supporting elements are preferably arranged parallel as shown in Fig. 1. They may be spaced equal distances apart or they may be arranged in any other suitable/manner to meet the requirements.

In Fig. 3 I have illustrated an alternative supporting construction in which light metal strips 21 are employed, the insulators 7 being-carried by these strips. Said strips are supported at their ends in groups of two or more. I preferably employ four such strips, as shown in this figure, the insulators being turned outward from a common center so that the resistance wire 10 may be wound about them in the manner shown. IVith this arrangement the wire may be wound more nearly in helical form than in the first arrangement described. In either case the wire will remain in position when wound until it can be sealed.

In both the above arrangements the resistance wire is insulated from its immediate support and the parallel supports as a whole are insulated from the supporting ring. 7 I

The creepage resistance, that is, the resistance over the surface of the insulators from the wire to the punchings, is high, due to also to the small area of the punchin the conical shape of the insulator and due in contact with the insulator. The entire t iermometer after completion is dipped in a suitable insulating solution, such as bakelite, which very materially increases creepage resistance and has an important influence in protecting the metal parts from the action of certain gases.

The resistance offered by the grid as a whole to the moving currentof gas is a minimum and the arrangement of the parts and the material employed is such that neither the blast action of the gas nor its chemical action,- nor its moisture content,

will have an appreciable effect upon the etiicient operation of the thermometer or cause deterioration thereof.

It is to be understood, of course, that the invention is not limited to the details shown and described, as various changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Vhat I claim asnewand desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A resistance thermometer unit comprising a frame adapted to be mounted within a conduit, a plurahty of supportmg rods car- 'ried by said frame-and a resistance wire wound about said rods and carried by means mounted on said rods so .that the wire'is held spaced relation and insulated from said rods and whereby the wire is distributed substantially uniformly across the area inclosed by the frame with a minimum portion of the wire in contact with the supporting means.

2. A resistance thermometer unit comprising a frame adapted to be mounted in a conduit, a plurality of supporting elements carried by said frame and arranged in substantially the same plane and means 011 said elements for supporting a resistance wire so that said wire is held spaced from and insulated from said elements and whereby the wire is distributed substantially uniformly over the area included by said frame with a minimum amount of wire in contact with the supporting means.

3. A resistance element comprising a plurality of parallel supporting frames arranged in the same plane and a resistance wire wound around said frames. said frames 'being built up of flat supporting elements suitably mounted and spaced apart.

4. A resist-ance thermometer unit c0mpris ing a. frame, a plurality of supporting rods carried by said frame, a plurality of flat supporting elements mounted on each rod so as to present their edges to the flowing current of fluid and a resistance wire wound about said elements.

5. In a resistance thermometer, a series of flat supporting elements mounted so as to 1 present their edges to the flowing current of fluid, insulators carried by each of said elements, and. a resistance Wire Wound about said supports and carried by saidinsulators.

G. A supporting device for a resistance wire comprising a supporting rod, a plurality of metallic plates strung thereon and 8. In an electric thermometer, a metallic plate having radially extending arms, an in-' sulator carried by each of said arms and sealed thereto and a resistance wire carried by said lnsulators.

9. In an electric thermometer, a metalhc I plate having radially extending arms, an insulator carriedby each of said arms, said insulators consisting of small glass cones having an outer slot therein substantially parallel to said plate and a resistance Wire carried by said insulators.

insulators consisting of small glass cones having an outer slot therein substantially parallel to said plate, and a Wire received in said slots and "sealed-therein.

11. An electric thermometer having an annular supporting frame, a plurality of parallel supporting devices carried thereon, a stiffening member carried by said frame and extending at right angles to said supports, saidstifiening member being connected to a. plurality of the latter, a resistance wlre Wound upon said supports, and termlnals for said resistance Wire carried by said frame.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto sub.- scribed my name in the presence of two Witnesses. c a v FREDRICK J OHANNSMEYER.

Witnesses:

J. C. WILSON, H. LYRooKwELL. 

